A cam on a nose is for what?

• A. To adjust landing gear retraction speed.
• B. To control steering angle in flight.
• C. To measure nose gear wear.
• D. To align the wheel and axle in straight-ahead position and keep the nose wheel straight prior to landing.

Answer: (D)

A cam on the nose gear is part of the centering mechanism that puts the nose wheel in straight-ahead alignment and keeps it straight when preparing for landing and during retraction. When the gear is steered on the ground, releasing the steering command allows the cam to engage and return the nose wheel to neutral, aligning it with the aircraft’s axis. This helps prevent tire scrubbing and ensures the wheel fits properly in the wheel well during retraction.

This cam isn’t about changing retraction speed, it isn’t used to control steering angle in flight, and it isn’t a device for measuring nose gear wear.